Railway signal-torpedo.



F. DUTGHBR.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1, 1909.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

STA FS P1' FRANK DUTCHER, OF VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0CENTRAL RAIL- WAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ACORPORATION 0F JERSEY.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

RALWAY SIGNAL-TORPEDO.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,1FRANK DUroi-inn, acitizen oi the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county ofAllegheny and tate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in Railway Signal-Torpedoes, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes, andpertains to that type of torpedo in which the case is constructed of anon-metallic material for i the purpose of preventing the flying ofparticles of metal and the consequent injury to persons who may happento Vbe in the path of any of these flying pieces.

The present improvement relates primarily to, irst, the'manner ofconnecting the rail-engaging strap to the torpedo case; second, thewater-prooiing of the ends of the case which contains the explosivesubstance.

In the accompanying drawing-Figure l is a longitudinal central sectionalView of a torpedo embodying the present improvements, it being shownattached to a railroad rail. Fig. 2 is a central transverse sectionalview. Figx is a perspective view of the completed torpedo andrail-engaging strap attached. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of thetorpedo partially completed and before the strap is attached thereto.Fig. 5 is an exe aggerated sectional view through a portion of the baseof the torpedo case, showing the folds or layers of which the casing iscomposed and their position after being pierced to receive therail-engaging strap.

In carrying out the present improvement the fibrous case 1, is composedof paper. This case is a section of a. paper tube, the tube formed bythe wrapping or winding of a sheet of paper in the manner in which papertubes are usually formed. The tube in this instance, of course, is madeof the contour of the casing 1, and is made of a convenient length fromwhich the sections which form the case l are cut. Since this manner offorming the case does not form Vany part of the present improvement,only so much of the method or manner of constructing it is shown anddescribed as is necessary for an understanding of the invention. Thesection or case 1, is subjected to suitable treatment of a. suitablewater-proofing compound before the explosive material is placed withinthe case. The explosive mixture 2, is first formed into a plastic massand then placed within the case l. Preferably the explosive mixture ispermitted to dry, after which the rail-engaglng strap 3 is attached andthe torpedo completed.

One of the present improvements consists in the manner of attaching therail-engaging strap 3 to the torpedo case, which comprises thelongitudinal piercing of the base ot' the case l, as shown at 4, withany suitable thin elongated instrument. The rail-engaging strap 3 isthen inserted through the opening 4 into the position here shown. InFig. 3 an exaggerated sectional view is given of the wall of the case l,from which it will be seen that the case is composed of a number oflayers 5 and that the opening 4 is formed by the piercing instrumentpassing between the layers and separating them suiiiciently to receivethe strap 3. This opening 4 extends in a direction longitudinal ot thecase and the layers of which the case is formed are not pierced butsimply separated. The case having been filled with the explosive mixtureit is necessary to close the ends of the case and to thereby protect theexplosive mixture from dampness and moisture. It is also found thatunder the action of dampness; water, and the handling to which thetorpedoes are subjected in the hands of the railway employees, tends toslightly open up or separate the layers 5 atthe ends of the case. Whenso separated the torpedoes will be comparatively useless in the presenceof water.

Another object of the present improvement is lthe closing of the ends ofthe case in "a manner to prevent the moisture or water entering theexplosive mixture or between the layers of the sheet of which the caseis formed and to Valso prevent the opening up or separating pletelyincloses the ends, of the explosive mixture 2, as shown in Figs. l and3, and also spreads out or suiliciently engages the strap 3, as shown at7, to form, to some extent, a cementing` of the strap to prevent itsendwise movement through the base of the case, and serve to hold it inposition. This water-prooiing compound preferably consists of bees-wax,resin and plaster of Paris, which has the combined effect of formingawater-proof coating, sheet or closure for the ends of the case, and acementing action.

To prevent the torpedo slipping on the tread of the railroad rail 8 whenstruck by the wheel of an approaching engine, the outer face of the baseof the case is provided with a coating of sand or other similar granularmaterial 9, which will be attached thereto preferably by using shellae.This sand coating is preferably applied after the strap is attached,though it may be. applied before the strap is attached.

[Iavin,f thus described my invention what I claim and desire to besecured by Letters Patent is: y

A railway torpedo comprising an openended single wall tube formed from awrapped and cemented sheet of paper, the wall of the tube having anopen-ended strap receiving openino formed Vbetween the .wrapped layersoi the wall, and a rail-engaging strap passing through said` opening,whereby a cheap and effective torpedo carrying a rail attaching strap isproduced.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK DUTCHER.k Witnesses: v

H. P. PRICE, Y S. LPRIc-E.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner` of Patents,

Washington, I). C. i

